Clothes hanger



April 13, 1954 M. E. DCRE CLOTHES HANGER Filed Oct. 15, 1951 I INVENTOR. //74///& f. flafle ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE CLOTHES HANGER Maurice E. Dore, Ludington, Mich, assignor to Straits Steel & Wire (10., Ludington, Mich.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes hangers.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a clothes hanger which is adapted for use in supporting a plurality of garments for the purpose of storage or for drying, and a hanger which may be compactly collapsed for storage or packing thereof.

Second, to provide a clothes hanger having these advantages which is economical in its parts and may be quickly erected or collapsed, and one in which the rack portion is securely supported in its erected position.

Third, to provide a structure which is formed mainly of wir stock and is easily kept in a sanitary condition.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of the invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of the invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a hanger embodying my invention in erected position.

Fig. 2 is a front View with the rack in collapsed position, the suspending book being partially broken away.

Fig. 3 is an edge view with the rack in collapsed position, the suspending hook being shown partially broken away in full lines and collapsed by dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially in section on a line corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing details of the mounting of the suspending hook.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig. 2 showing structural details. r

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Fig. 1 illustrating the fulcruming engagement of the rack supporting struts with the frame.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a frame designated generally by the numeral 1 and comprising a bottom member 2, side members or uprights i, 3 and a top member 4. These members are preferably formed integrally of wire. The top member is of a fiat tened inverted V or yoke shape. A cross bar 5 of springable wire stock is secured to the side members of the frame in spaced relation to their upper ends. This cross bar is provided with a forwardly projecting loop intermediate the ends constituting a keeper 6. The arms 6' of the loop 2 l have notches l therein adapted to receive th rack bar 8 when the rack is collapsed.

The rack comprises side members 9 terminating in eyes Ill at their inner ends which are pivotally engaged with the bottom frame member 2 at the inner sides of the side members I. The rack also includes a plurality of rack bars H disposed in spaced parallel relation with their outer ends upon and welded to the rack side members.

The outer rack bar 8 in this embodiment is formed integrally with the side members.

The rack is collapsible against the front of the frame as illustrated in Fig. 2 and when collapsed the rack bar 8 is springably engageable with the keeper 6, holding the rack in its collapsed position.

The rack is supported in its erected position by the wire struts I 2 which have angularly disposed eyes it at the upper ends thereof. These eyes pivotally engage the side members of the frame above the cross member 5 thereof. The struts 12 are formed of springable stock, desirably wire, and terminate at their lower ends in rearwardly disposed upwardly facing hooks I l. The struts slidably engage one of the rack bars and during the latter portion of the erecting swing of therack the struts are placed under spring stress owing to the upper ends of the struts being in fulcruming engagement with the cross bar 5 of the frame, as is best shown in Fig. 6. This biasing or spring stress of the struts results in the automatic engagement of the hooks with the rack bar which they are slidably associated.

To permit compact collapsing of the struts against the collapsed rack, the struts are provided with portions l5 oifset in relation to the strut which allow them to collapse into substantially parallel relation to the side members of the rack and against the outer side thereof when the rack is in collapsed position.

Th frame is provided with a suspending hook iii, the shank l! of which is provided with a cliplike attaching member it formed of a generally U-shaped sheet metal stamping. The 'bight IQ of the stamping has a hole 19' therein receiving the shank of the hook which is provided with a retaining collar 29. The arm 2! of the member 18 springably engage the top member 4 at th apex thereof and, owing to theirconverging relation, they frictionally urge the end of the shank against the frame top member. This engagement permits the hook being swung to erected position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, or to collapsed position'a-s shown'in Figi 3 by dotted lines.

The friction is such that the hook is held in its erected position or in its collapsed position.

Garments may be draped over the rack bars or they may be secured thereto by means of clothes pins conventionally shown at 22. These pins are desirably of the spring type and of plastic material. Such clothes pins are commercially available. When the rack is collapsed it may be used for supporting a plurality of garments such as V trousers which may be draped over the rack bars.

I have illustrated and described the invention in a commercial embodiment which I regard as highly practical. I have not attempted to'illustrate or describe other modifications and adapta tions as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the invention as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In the clothes hanger the combination of a frame comprising bottom, side and top members of wire, the top member being of yoke shape, a springable crossbar connected to the side mem bers of the frame adjacent the upper end of each side member of the frame and having a central forwardly projecting loop therein constituting a keeper, a rack formed of wire comprising side membersand a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars, the front rack bar being formed integrally with the side members, the side members terminating at their inner ends in eyes pivotally embracing the bottom frame member at the inner sides of the-frame side members, struts disposed at their upper ends on the inner sides of the side members and having angularly disposed forwardly projecting eyes embracing the side members above said frame crossbar and disposed between adjacent rack bars and slidably engaging-one of the rack bars, said struts having rearwardly and upwardly facing rack bar engaging hooks at their lower ends, the eyes at the upper ends of the struts being in fulcruming engagement with the frame cross bar during the latter portion of the erecting swing of the rack to springably' urge the struts against the rack bar with which they are slidably engaged, one of the rack bars being positioned for springable engagement with the said keeper when the rack is collapsed; the struts, each having a portion forwardly offset in relation to the strut adjacent its upper end so that their outer portions are col-- lapsible upon the forward side of the collapsed rack and between the side members thereof and a collapsible hook pivotally and frictionally r mounted on the frame top member at the apex thereof.

2. In the clothes hanger the combination of a frame comprising bottom, side and top members of wire, a springable crossbar connected to the side members of the frame adjacent the upper endof each side member of the frame and having a central forwardly projecting loop therein constituting a keeper, a rack'formed of wire -coinprising side members and a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars, the side members terminating at their inner ends in eyes pivotally embracing the bottom frame member at the inner sides of the frame side members, struts disposed at their upper ends on the inner sides of the side mem bers and having angularly disposed forwardly projecting eyes embracing the side members abovesaid frame crossbar and disposed between adjacent rack bars and slidably engaging one of. therackbars, said struts having rearwardly and upwardly facing rack bar engaging hooks at their lower ends, the eyes at the upper ends of the struts being in fulcruming engagement with the frame crossbar during the latter portion of the erecting swing of the rack to springably urge the struts against the rack bar with which they are slidably engaged, one of the rack bars being positioned for springable engagement with the said keeper when the rack is collapsed.

3. In the clothes hanger the combination of a frame comprising bottom, side and top members, a springable crossbar connected to the side members of the frame adjacent the upper end of each side member of the frame and having a forwardly projecting keeper, a rack comprising side members and a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars, the side members being pivotally mounted at their inner ends on the bottom frame member, struts of springable stock disposed with their upper ends on the inner sides of the side members andat the rear of. the frame crossbar'and having angularly disposed forwardly projecting eyes embracing the side members above said frame cross bar, said struts being associated with one of the rack bars, said struts having rearwardly disposed upwardly facing rack bar engaging hooks at their lower ends, the struts being in fulcruming engagement with'the frame cross bar' during the latter portion of the movement of the rack to erected position to springably engage the rack bar with which they are slidably associated, one of the rack bars being positioned for springable engagement with the said keeper when the rack is collapsed.

4; In the clothes hanger the combination'of a frame comprising bottom, side and top members, a crossbar connected to the side'members of the frame adjacent the upper end of each side member of the frame, a rack comprising side members and a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars; the sidemembers being pivotally mounted at their inner ends on the bottom frame member, struts of springable stock disposed with their upper ends on the inner sides of the side members and at the rear of the frame'crossbar and having angularly disposed forwardly projecting eyes embracing the side members above said frame crossbar, said struts being slidably associated with one of the rack bars, said struts having rearwardly disposed upwardly facing rack bar engaging hooks at their lower ends, the struts being in fulcruming engagement with the frame crossbar during the latter portion of the movement of the rack to erected position to springably engage the rack bar with which they are slidably associated.

5. In the clothes hanger the combination of a frame comprising bottom, side and top members, a crossbar connected to the side members of the frame adjacent the upper end'of each side member of the frame, a rack comprising side members and a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars, the side members being pivotally mounted attheir inner ends of the bottom'frame member, struts of springable stock disposed with their upper ends on. the inner sides of the side members and at the rear of the frame crossbar and having angularly disposed forwardly projecting eyes embracing the side members above said frame crossbar, said. struts being slidably as sociated with one of the rack bars, said struts having rearwardly disposed upwardly facing rack bar engaging hooks at their lower ends, the struts being in fulcruming engagement with the frame crossbar during the latter portion of the movement oi. the rack to erected position to springably engage the rack bar with which they are slidably associated, the struts having forward offsets in relation to the struts adjacent their upper ends so that their outer portions are collapsible upon the forward side of the collapsed rack between the side members thereof and a collapsible hook having pivotal frictional mounting on the frame top member with the apex thereof.

6. In the clothes hanger the combination of a frame comprising bottom, side and top members of wire, a crossbar connected to the side members of the frame adjacent the upper end of each side member of the frame, a rack formed of wire comprising iside members and a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars, the side members terminating at their inner ends in eyes pivotally embracing the bottom frame member at the inner sides of the frame side members, and struts of springable stock disposed at their upper ends on the inner sides of the side members and having angularly disposed forwardly projecting eyes embracing the side members above said frame above said crossbar and slidably engaging one of the rack bars, said struts having rack bar engaging hooks at their lower ends, the struts being in fulcruming engagement with the frame crossbar during the latter portion of the erecting swing of the rack to springably urge the struts 6 against the rack bar with which they are slidably engaged.

7. In the clothes hanger the combination of a frame comprising bottom, side and top members, a crossbar connected to the side members of the frame adjacent the upper end of each side member of the frame, a rack comprising side members and a plurality of spaced parallel rack bars, the side members pivotally mounted on the bottom frame member and struts of springable stock having eyes embracing the side members above said frame above said crossbar and slidably engaging one of the rack bars, said struts having rack bar engaging hooks at their lower ends, the struts being in fulcruming engagement with the frame crossbar during the latter portion of the erecting swing of the rack to springably urge the struts against the rack bar with which they are slidably engaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,184,700 McCallum May 23, 1916 1,752,985 Huifman Apr. 1, 1930 2,004,035 Cleveland June 4, 1935 2,117,656 Donnellan May 17, 1938 2,520,371 Pandele Aug. :29, 1950 2,577,397 Bailey Dec. 4, 1951 

